Star-Crossed Swordmasters
by CrypticGirl
Summary: A pair of Swordmaster siblings, Karel and Karla, wind up in Eternia, smack dab in the middle of a battle between the Masters and Skeletor's forces. Whose side will they end up on?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Neither He-Man nor Fire Emblem belong to me.

Chapter 1

The Swordmaster siblings, Karel and Karla, picked themselves up from the ground, trying to recover from the blinding flash that they had just witnessed. Just a moment ago, they were at the Dragon's Gate on the island of Valor, fighting against Nergal and some dragons. Now they were...outside, on some rocky terrain. None of their companions seemed to be anywhere around. And yet they could hear the sounds of combat all around them.

"This isn't the Dragon's Gate..." Karla remarked. "What just happened?"

"Hmm..." Karel looked around, surveying the scene, feeling the wind, and smelling the scents of smoke, steel, and blood. "It would seem that the battle hasn't ended yet."

"But..." Karla trailed off. Was this even the same battle they were involved in?

Before either of them could ponder any further, a large laser blast shot down towards them from above. Both siblings reacted a second too late. While they weren't hit directly, the resulting explosion threw them in opposite directions off the flat plateau they had been standing on as it was blown to bits.

Karla hit the ground hard, but quickly picked herself. As she tried to further assess the situation, she spotted a figure flying by at a fast speed. She blinked hard, as that figure seemed strangely human. A human with wings on his arms, who also seemed to leave a trail of smoke from both of his arms.

_That doesn't look like a Pegasus..._ she thought.

Instead, it was Stratos, one of the Masters.

Suddenly, another figure landed heavily on the ground nearby with a loud thud, cracking the ground beneath his feet. Karla glanced over in that direction to see a large humanoid lobster, named Clawful, outstretching and snapping its claws.

"D'aaah, I'm gonna charge ya!" he yelled out.

Karla blinked at him briefly before composing herself, deciding to take action before this creature did. She rushed at him at full speed, and when she got within attacking range, she drew her sword from its sheath, slicing him through his side as she passed. Then she pivoted behind him, throwing an overhead stroke to his head.

"Nngaaah!" the lobster creature screamed as he flew forward, crashing into another boulder, crushing it under his massive weight.

Karla brought her sword down to her side, watching and waiting as the creature picked itself up. Given its size and its tough outer shell, she hadn't counted on it being knocked out with one stroke as she was used to doing. As she watched, she pondered some more. She definitely hadn't fought anything like this on Elibe. Even Nergal's Morphs had a human appearance, even though they were far from human. At this point, Karla was certain that they were no longer in Elibe. And what had happened to the other companions she and Karel had fought with?

Meanwhile, Karel picked himself up after the explosion that knocked him off the higher ground, immediately drawing his sword. He looked around; there was obviously a battle going on. He couldn't tell who was fighting whom, and frankly, he didn't care. All that mattered was jumping into the fray to satisfy his appetite.

_It's a shame to miss the feast_, he thought. _At least there's still time for leftovers..._

He glanced over to his left; there was a large, muscular man with a flat-topped silver helmet rushing towards him. Instantly taking this as aggression, Karel rushed towards him in kind. The man, called Ram-Man wavered upon realizing that this swordsman didn't appear to be one of the followers of Skeletor, their arch nemesis. He tried to come to a halt, but Karel leaped over him, throwing a swift but powerful stroke to the back of Ram-Man's head, knocking him out instantly.

Karel sighed, disappointed with the lack of fight.

"Impressive!" a voice called from above him.

Karel looked up at the owner of the voice, a dark cloaked figure who seemed to have a skull face, riding on a strange flying machine. Such an appearance would strike fear into the hearts of most people, but Karel knew no such fear. Instead, he stared at the cloaked figure, gripping his sword, ready and itching for another fight.

The cloaked figure Skeletor, in turn, immediately took interested in the Swordmaster. If he was able to knock out one of the Masters in one strike, he must be incredibly strong. Such strength would serve him well. If Skeletor could recruit the Swordmaster, it could turn the tide in his favor. It would be a welcome change over all of the incompetent fools currently serving him.

Skeletor addressed the Swordmaster again. "Your name. _Out with it!_"

Unphased by the short temper, Karel dropped his name simply. "Karel."

"I am Skeletor, Overlord of Evil!" the figure announced proudly. "I could use someone with your skills. Come with me; I have a little proposition for you."

It sounded more like a warning than a request. However, Karel couldn't care less. The idea of being pulled from a battle didn't sit well with him.

"All I seek is to hone my blade," Karel told him. "I seek challenging battles to satisfy its appetite."

"And you will have your battles," Skeletor grinned. It was mostly a half-truth. There would certainly be fighting, at least until he conquered Eternia once and for all. But not all tasks he would assign would involve fighting. But he'd say what he'd need to in order to recruit this man. "Come with me, and your blade will be...most delighted."

It also didn't escape Skeletor's notice that the swordsman seemed to refer to his blade as a separate being. It made him curious if there was anything special about it, if it harbored some sort of power or something. All the more reason to recruit the swordsman in his ranks.

Regardless, Karel was not one to pass up an opportunity to fight. The promise was good enough for him. And if Skeletor didn't follow through, then Karel would make his own battles. "Very well."

Skeletor grinned again, a red glow flaring in his empty eye sockets. "Excellent..."

Meanwhile, Karla was still facing Clawful. The large lobster man swung his giant claw at her at a rather surprising speed. Karla managed to dodge most of his blows, while blocking every other attack with her sword. After ducking another horizontal swing, Karla attempt to leap over the creature. She was caught by surprise when the giant claw suddenly clamped hard on her ankle, swinging her mercilessly into a boulder. The girl dropped to the ground, where she lay in an unconscious heap.

Clawful laughed triumphantly, snapping his pinchers again. He began to advance, not quite done with her...when suddenly, a muscular man with blond hair landed next to him, throwing a hard punch to his face. Clawful was sent flying a good distance away, where he crashed roughly on the hard ground.

"Don't you know that it's rude to hit a lady?" the blond warrior taunted.

Clawful slowly got to his feet. "D'aaah, it's He-Man!" he exclaimed.

Skeletor decided that it would be best to pull out for now, and work out a new plan involving his new ally. "Return!"

He beckoned Karel to climb onto the flying machine with him, and Karel agreed. The rest of Skeletor's followers began to retreat, jumping onto their own machines, or onto flying griffins to escape. He-Man watched them all until they were out of sight.

_They gave up too easily_, he thought.

One of the remaining fighters extended his long, mechanical neck, zooming in on Skeletor's vehicle, noting the man he shared it with.

"It looks like Skeletor's found himself a new ally," he remarked.

Meanwhile, He-Man looked down at the unconscious girl on the ground. She didn't look like anyone who resided in Eternia. She had long black hair and wore a white gown with a blue sash around her waist. She also had the sheath around her waist, and her sword on the ground nearby suggested that she was a swordfighter. But where did she come from?

Still, he couldn't leave her like this. He picked up her sword and slipped it back into the sheath around her waist, confirming that it really was hers. He then picked her up from the ground, carrying her bridal style as he went to regroup with his friends.

"Stay alert, everyone," he warned them. "They will attack again, especially after giving up this early."

"Indeed," Man-At-Arms agreed. "But He-Man, who is this girl?"

"I...don't know," He-Man admitted. "She was fighting one of Skeletor's warriors, but was injured. I need you all to take care of her."

"Of course." Man-At-Arms took the girl from He-Man's arms.

"Uh..." The man with the cybernetic neck, named Mekaneck, immediately noticed the resemblance between this girl and the man who had retreated with Skeletor.

Before he could say anything, however, He-Man was gone, and Man-At-Arms addressed the others again.

"Let's head back."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

After returning to the palace, the Masters had placed Karla in bed. Man-At-Arms hovered a handheld device over her, running some kind of test. The device beeped rapidly as he moved it up and down over her body.

Prince Adam and Teela entered the room to see what was happening.

"How is she, Father?" Teela asked.

Man-At-Arms looked up from the device. "Fortunately, nothing's broken. Nothing too serious. She probably took a jolt to the head that knocked her unconscious. I just hope she hasn't developed amnesia."

"Who is this girl, anyway?" Adam asked.

"We really don't know, Adam," Man-At-Arms told him. "We found her like this on the battlefield. No doubt she was attacked by Skeletor's warriors. And judging by her clothing, I don't even think she's from around here."

He pulled the device away, switching it off. "All that's left is to let her rest. Hopefully she'll wake up soon. Orko..."

A hovering being with a red robe and a pointed hat moved closer. "Yes, Man-At-Arms?"

"I need you to stay here and watch over her," Man-At-Arms said. "Someone should be here when she wakes up."

"Okay!" Orko nodded.

"Let's go." Man-At-Arms guided Adam and Teela out of the room.

The Masters gathered in the courtyard to discuss the day's events.

"Well, the girl is resting," Man-At-Arms told the group. "Orko is watching over her now. In the meantime, we should try to deduce why Skeletor retreated so quickly."

"Man-At-Arms, the man that Skeletor retreated with looked a lot like that girl," Mekaneck pointed out.

"Did that guy have long hair?" Ram-Man asked.

"That's right," Mekaneck said.

"That's the guy that knocked me out in one strike. I didn't even see it comin'."

"If they look alike, then it's possible that they may be related," Man-At-Arms said. "Especially since they seem to have shown up at the same time. We'll see if the girl knows anything when she wakes up."

Karla's eyes fluttered open slowly. As her vision cleared, she found herself in a comfy bed in a well-lit room.

"Unnnh...where am I?" she groaned weakly.

"O-oh, you're awake!" Orko floated over to her side. "Hi! How're ya feelin'?"

Karla blinked, wondering if she was just imagining this little floating being with the red cloak and hat, with the pointed ears.

"What...are you...?" she asked. "And where am I?"

"Me? I'm from Trolla," Orko said cheerfully. "This is the great Palace of Eternia. My name's Orko. What's your name?"

"I'm...Karla. But...what happened?"

"The Masters rescued you after you were attacked by Skeletor's warriors."

"Skeletor? Who's Skeletor?"

"Skeletor is the, uh...evil overlord of, uh...evil," Orko explained. "He's been trying to take over Eternia ever since he broke through the Mystic Wall. Or well...even before then, too."

"I see..." Karla nodded, taking in the story.

"Skeletor's forces were too powerful, so we needed a hero," Orko continued. "So Prince Adam was given great powers from the Sorceress of Greyskull, and transformed into the mighty He-Man, and—" Orko stopped himself abruptly with a sharp gasp as he realized that he had just blurted out Prince Adam's secret. He quickly clamped both hands over his mouth. "D'oh! Uh-uh-oh..."

Karla gave him a confused look. "What is it?"

"I...well, uh..." Orko hovered even closer to her, whispering. "I wasn't supposed to tell you that last part. That was supposed to be a secret..."

Karla smiled slightly, suppressing a chuckle. "I see. Then I won't tell anyone."

Orko's eyes lit up. "Do you promise?"

Karla maintained her smile. "Yes, I promise."

"Whew..." Orko wiped the sweat from his forehead. Who knew what kind of trouble he'd be in if Man-At-Arms found out that he had spilled the beans? And who knew what trouble Adam would be in if everyone knew his secret, especially Skeletor's forces?

Karla sat up in her bed. "What of my brother? Is he safe?"

"Uh...y-your brother?" Orko stammered yet again as he was unable to give a straight answer.

"Yes...my brother," Karla repeated. "He was...drawn to this place with me. And then we got separated in that battle..."

"I, uh...I...didn't know you had a brother..." Orko said honestly.

"I have to find him..." Karla started to force herself out of the bed, enduring the aches in her back and shoulders. As she planted her feet on the floor, she could feel the sore in her ankle from when Clawful had snatched her. She looked down at herself, noticing that her sword was sheathed, and let out a quiet sigh of relief.

"W-W-Wait!" Orko panicked. "Are you sure you should get up? Y-Y-You're injured!"

"I'll be fine..." Karla assured him, holding in a groan. "I have to find my brother."

"But...wait! Wait!" Orko continued to plead, but it quickly became obvious that the girl would not be deterred. He had to think of something fast. "I know! I'll introduce you to the Masters! Maybe they know where your brother is!"

Karla paused briefly, glancing back at him. "All right..."

Orko floated to her side, offering his hands. "May I take your hand?"

"Sure..."

Orko took Karla's arm gently, supporting her as she stepped awkwardly out of the room. "Let's see...they might be this way..."

Karla simply followed wherever Orko led her, feeling her aches slowly ebbing away as her muscles moved. She stared down at her feet most of the way, watching them take one step after another.

"Ooh, there they are!" Orko cried happily. "Let's go!"

He let go of Karla's arm, flying over towards Man-At-Arms and the other Masters. Karla jogged lightly after him.

Hearing Orko's cheerful calls, the Masters turned their attention to him.

"Man-At-Arms!" Orko called, waiting for Karla to catch up. "This is Karla." Orko then gestured to each of the Masters as he introduced them. "Karla, this is Man-At-Arms, Prince Adam, Teela, Ram-Man, Mekaneck, and Stratos."

"Interesting names..." Karla remarked lightly. "But it's...good to meet you all. Orko says it's you I should thank for rescuing me?"

"Yes," Man-At-Arms responded. "It's good to meet you as well, Karla. We're glad you're all right."

The other Masters nodded in agreement.

Man-At-Arms suddenly turned grim. "Karla...I hope you don't mind, but we'd...like to ask you about a few things, mainly about that battle."

Karla nodded. "Yes...Orko has told me about this...Skeletor."

"That's good. But Mekaneck claims that he saw a man retreating with Skeletor, who bore a strong resemblance to you."

"He had long, dark hair, and a strange, dark blue getup," Mekaneck added.

Karla perked up instantly. "That was my brother. It must have been."

"Your brother..." Man-At-Arms pondered.

"If he's your brother, why would he follow someone like Skeletor?" Adam asked. "Is he evil, too?"

"My brother is not evil," Karla said sternly. "He doesn't follow anyone, only his destiny with his sword. He gravitates towards strong warriors. Always seeking strong opponents. Good or evil...that doesn't matter to him.

"When we were drawn here, the battle was already ongoing. We really didn't know who was fighting whom."

"So you're sayin' that your brother just got caught up on the wrong side?" Ram-Man asked.

"Yes, exactly," Karla explained. "My brother has a strong...desire for battle. A hunger for it, even. Sometimes it can turn him in the wrong direction. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't the same way. I dislike fighting...but there's just something in me that craves it."

"Well, if your brother has joined Skeletor willingly, he won't be in any _immediate_ danger," Man-At-Arms said. "They will attack again. We can try to reason with your brother then. In the meantime, you can recover from your injuries and perhaps tell us more about him."

"Yes," Karla agreed. "His name is Karel. He's known as the Sword Demon back home."

"'Back home' where?" Teela asked.

"Elibe," Karla told her. "I can't say where that is in relation to this place. To be honest, I'm not even sure how we got here. We were involved in a great battle back home as well...and the next thing we knew, we were in the middle of your battle. An explosion separated us, and then I was attacked by some sort of...crab man."

"That was Clawful," Teela said. "Great physical strength. All of Skeletor's warriors are powerful. We cannot take them lightly."

"Really?" Karla tapped her chin. "How...intriguing."

It was always the stronger opponents that got the siblings' blood flowing. The stronger the opponents, the more thrilling the battle.

"When they attack again, I would join you," Karla concluded. "For the sake of reaching my brother."

Snake Mountain, as the name implied, was literally a mountain shaped like a snake, with lava pouring out of the mouth. Within the caves, Skeletor sat on his throne, pondering how to approach his mysterious new ally.

Karel simply stood in the shadow, leaning against the wall with his arms folded, waiting for the next opportunity to swing his blade. He could feel the blood churning in his veins. Closing his eyes in a sort of meditative state was all he could do to keep his battle lust in check.

"So...Karel..." Skeletor began, tapping his fingers together. "I could use a swordsman of your skill."

Karel merely batted an eye towards him. "Then use me. If you know of a worthy opponent to raise my sword against, speak now."

Skeletor wasn't too fond of Karel's dark, superior tone, but ignored it for now. "I do, actually," he said, grinning. "There is a certain..._hero_..." he spoke the word with disgust, "who has been a great barrier to me. He is all that stands between me and the conquest of Eternia. He is called _He-Man_."

"He-Man..." Karel pondered. It was an odd name, but names hardly mattered to him. All he cared about is how strong they were. "And he is strong?"

"Grr...yes. Very _strong_," Skeletor snarled, as loathed as he was to admit it. He had believed that He-Man had gained the power of the Elders, a power that Skeletor had desired, even when he was Keldor.

"I see..." Karel tapped his chin in thought, in anticipation. "I will remember him."

"Destroy He-Man, and you will be amply rewarded," Skeletor continued. "Fail, and the consequences will be...unpleasant."

"Keep your 'reward'," Karel told him. "The duel itself will be reward enough."

And that would hold true, regardless of his success or failure.

"Good." Skeletor sounded pleased for a brief second, before his tone suddenly turned impatient. "Now go. _Now!_"

He promptly aimed the head of his Havoc Staff at Karel and fired a powerful energy blast. Karel sidestepped it effortlessly. His battle lust sparked by the attack, he quickly drew his sword and rushed at Skeletor with a blinding speed. The evil warriors watched with their jaws hanging open. Not only had the Swordmaster dodged the attack, but he even had the nerve to _retaliate_.

Skeletor hadn't expected it, but he reacted quickly, blocking Karel's sword stroke with his Havoc Staff. He flipped backwards out of his throne, buying himself a brief second to draw his sword. Karel was immediately upon him again with a swift diagonal stroke. Skeletor blocked again with his own blade, keeping both blades locked. As Karel continued to apply the pressure on his sword, Skeletor's eyes flashed red as he studied Karel's eyes. There was no emotion apparent in the Swordmaster's eyes, just a cold glare, and an insatiable hunger. Satisfied with what he saw, Skeletor shoved Karel back, aiming his Havoc Staff at him, the head once again gathering energy. Karel planted his feet, ready and waiting to dodge the coming energy attack...except the blast never came. Skeletor held the staff, knowing exactly what Karel was planning. And so the glow faded from his staff as Skeletor straightened himself with a dark chuckle.

"On second thought, Karel..." he said. "Why don't you stay for a while longer?"

Karel held his stance, raising an eyebrow, but saying nothing.

"Evil-Lyn." Skeletor called the sorceress's name, leading her deeper into the caves.

The other evil warriors kept their eyes on Karel, expecting him to attack Skeletor again while his back was turned. Instead, Karel let out a disappointed sigh, turning around and carefully sheathing his sword. Perhaps the most puzzling thing was that Skeletor wasn't punishing Karel for his attack. They didn't know Karel, but they knew Skeletor very well. He would zap his followers for the slightest insult or mistake. But then again, it was Skeletor's zap that had prompted Karel to attack in the first place. What was the Overlord of Evil planning?

"You aren't going to punish him for his insolence?" Evil-Lyn asked.

"Of course not," Skeletor told her. "You see, all he wants is to fight. He craves battle like a hungry beast craves meat. I have only to turn that battle lust to my advantage. He already desires to fight He-Man. He'll either destroy He-Man or die trying. And I don't really care which."

If Karel succeeded, then Skeletor would finally be rid of that nuisance. If Karel failed, then he'd be useless anyway, just like his other moronic warriors.

With the explanation over with, Skeletor and Evil-Lyn returned to the throne room. Tri-klops was replaying the footage of the Masters captured by his Doomseeker. The floating machine projected the playback onto a circular frame, with no need of a wall.

"Bad news, Skeletor," Tri-klops said. "It seems that the Masters have made a new friend as well."

Everyone gathered around the projection, noticing the girl with the long dark hair, talking with the Masters.

"Karla..." Karel muttered softly, surprised. Though he wouldn't admit it, he was relieved to see her safe.

"Karel..." Skeletor mused, hearing his muttering. "Do you know this girl?"

"She is my sister," Karel said flatly.

"Your sister, hmm?" Skeletor grinned at the new knowledge. It could be useful to keep Karel in line.

The Doomseeker playback switched views, now focusing in front of Karla, allowing the Evil Warriors to get a closer look at her face.

"Yes...the resemblance is clear," Skeletor remarked.

Karel gave him an emotionless glance now. "But enough about us. When will I get to duel with He-Man?"

Skeletor's eyes flashed red once again. "Does 'right now' sound like a satisfactory answer?"

"More than satisfactory..." Karel's voice was deep and dark. Without another word, he began to step out of the caves of Snake Mountain.

Meanwhile, in the palace training grounds, Karla watched as Adam and Teela were in the middle of a sparring match, each wielding a wooden sword. After a long back and forth struggle, Teela swept out with her legs, tripping Adam on his foot. Adam hit the grass on his back, while Teela pointed her sword towards his chest.

"You still have a lot to learn," she scolded.

"Hey, that wasn't fair!" Adam whined.

Karla shook her head from the sidelines. "Since when is battle fair?"

"Exactly!" Teela agreed.

Adam sat up, swatting away Teela's wooden blade. "You know what? I think I'll just try sparring with Karla instead."

Karla looked mildly startled. "With me?"

Teela folded her arms with a smirk. "You just think she'll be easier to beat, right?"

"I never said that! I've never seen her fight! But if she's going to fight with us, we should see what she's capable of."

"An interesting point coming from you. But who exactly is 'us'? I still haven't seen you actually fighting Skeletor's forces."

"Uh...well, I..." Adam stuttered, trying to think of an excuse to cover his sneaking off to become He-Man.

Meanwhile, Karla watched the banter, and she immediately understood Adam's predicament. And so she decided to change the subject.

"Ah...can we just get a move on?" she asked. "You did want to spar with me, right, Prince Adam? Then I accept your challenge."

"Oh, great!" Adam hid a sigh of relief. "The sparring weapons are over there."

He pointed over to the rack where various wooden weapons were stored. Karla walked over and plucked a sword that looked most similar to her own blade. She waved it around for a moment to get a feel for its weight, and then took a few practice strokes in the air.

"I think this will do," she remarked, returning to garden to face Adam. "Shall we begin?"

"You bet."

Adam held his sword, ready to fight. Karla put her right foot forward, holding the wooden blade at her side, her stance completely relaxed.

Suddenly, Adam charged forward with a yell, swinging his sword as soon as he was within range. Karla moved backward, deftly dodging his attack. Adam pressed forward, throwing a series of various sword strokes towards her. Karla dodged each attack swiftly as if it were a dance. After sidestepping yet another attack, she moved behind Adam to gain more distance between them. Adam turned to face her, pausing to catch his breath.

"Are you tired already?" Karla asked in a lightly teasing tone.

"Hah!" Adam scoffed with a confident smirk. "Not even close!"

He charged at Karla once again, this time going for an overhead attack. This time, she bothered to retaliate. She lashed out with her blade, not only blocking Adam's attack, but parrying him with such a powerful force that sent the prince flying a good twenty feet backwards, hitting the grass on his rear.

Teela watched Adam's failure, folding her arms and smirking. "Impressive," she said to him sarcastically.

"Oh yeah?" Adam retorted. "I'd like to see _you_ do better, Teela!"

"With pleasure." Teela stepped out to face Karla.

"Well, this should be interesting," Karla remarked, taking her relaxed stance again. "It's not every day that I get to spar with another woman."

"Same here. Well, come at me when you're ready."

"If you insist." Karla shrugged slightly before dashing at her opponent, still holding her wooden blade at her side. As Karla came within range, she raised her wooden blade across her chest, throwing a quick stroke towards the other woman. Teela saw the blade coming across the chest, and raised her own blade to block the attack. Instantly, she could feel the sheer force of the attack tingling in her arms. Karla pulled back briefly, throwing another swing towards Teela's head. Teela ducked this attack. Anticipating that, Karla performed a jump-spin, trying the horizontal swing again. Caught off guard by the spin, Teela was hit in the head with the wooden blade, driven right into the ground. Karla paused and looked down, concerned that she might have caused some serious damage.

Adam was ready to tease Teela about falling for Karla's trick, but he noticed that Teela wasn't moving. Worried for his childhood friend's well-being, he rushed over to check on her, with Karla doing the same. Karla pressed her fingers against Teela's neck, checking for a pulse.

"She'll be all right," she assured Adam. "I...didn't expect her to take that hit."

She had expected more from Teela because she was a woman, and thus expected her to fight with speed rather than strength. Most of the men she had fought had been too cumbersome, allowing her an easy victory. But Karla's attacks were as powerful as they were fast.

"Teela!" Ram-Man called, rushing over. "What happened?"

Karla stood up. "I'm sorry. I accidentally knocked her out in our sparring match."

"Can you take Teela to her room?" Adam asked.

"Sure..." Ram-Man picked up Teela and carried her inside.

"Well, I guess we're done training for now," Adam said to Karla. "I'll catch up with you later, Karla."

Karla smiled. "All right..."

Adam left the garden, leaving Karla alone with her thoughts. As he walked, he saw Orko hovering towards him. The little magician had been plagued with guilt since blurting out his secret to Karla. But still, Adam had a right to know.

"Um...Prince Adam...I, uh...have to talk to you..." Orko said, his voice quivering.

"What is it, Orko?" Adam asked.

"I, uh...I sort of...accidentally spilled the beans to Karla...about you...and He-Man..."

Adam frowned. "You mean...Karla knows that I'm actually He-Man?"

"Um...yes. But she promised not to tell anyone!" Orko quickly added.

Adam paused, his mind flashing back to the training, when Teela was calling him out for fleeing all the time. Karla had interrupted then. It must have been to stop Teela from pressing on Adam's secret.

"She really does know..." Adam realized. "At least she's kept her promise so far..."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Little did Adam, Teela, and Karla know that during their sparring session, Skeletor and his warriors were capturing more video footage of them via Tri-klops' Doomseeker.

"So..." Skeletor pondered. "It would seem that Karel's sister is quite the formidable warrior as well. If we could just recruit them both..."

He trailed off, pondering the possibilities of what he would have them do, as well as how to make them cooperate. With Karel already recruited, getting his sister wouldn't be too difficult. For now, however, he would continue his reconnaissance on the girl. He could very well learn more about her, and about Karel as well.

Man-at-Arms spent most of his time in his workshop building all sorts of technological tools and weapons. Adam went to visit him every once in a while.

"So...I heard about what happened with Teela," Man-at-Arms remarked casually.

"Ah, yeah..." Adam lowered his head shamefully. "We were just...surprised at how strong Karla was. She beat both of us in less than a minute. If she joined us against Skeletor, she'd be a great ally."

"Perhaps..." Man-at-Arms pondered as he applied more heat with his blowtorch.

"Also..." Adam went on, "Orko says he accidentally told her my secret."

That made Man-at-Arms stop completely, removing his goggles and face mask, looking directly at Adam. "You mean she knows that you are He-Man?"

Adam frowned again. "Yeah. But she also knows that it's supposed to be a secret, so she's been keeping it to herself."

Man-at-Arms sighed. Unfortunately, there was nothing to be done about Karla knowing the secret. "Well, as long as no one else learns it from her..."

Adam gave a sigh, relieved that Man-at-Arms didn't get as angry as he had anticipated. "Thanks."

And without another word, he left the workshop.

A few moments later, Karla found Adam on a balcony, overlooking the kingdom of Eternia. She stopped to admire the view herself before Adam noticed her.

"Hey, Karla..."

"Hey..." Karla replied softly. "How's Teela?"

"She's all right," Adam said. "She's taken far worse than that. She's pretty tough."

"That's good. I really didn't mean to strike her that hard. I'm just not used to sparring. I'm more accustomed to real battle, where you give it your all."

"Yeah, I can tell. So...is your brother as strong as you?"

Karla smiled warmly. "Even more so. His skill far surpasses mine."

"Seriously?" Adam almost couldn't believe it. He had already been awed at Karla's strength. To think that her brother was even stronger was just mind-boggling.

"He has a passion for battle that I just don't have," Karla went on. "That is what makes him stronger."

"Well, hey..." Adam gave her a smirk. "Do you think he could beat He-Man?"

Karla gave an amused laugh. Knowing that Adam was actually He-Man, it was obvious why he would ask that question.

"Well, since I haven't actually seen He-Man, I can't really say."

Adam shrugged. "Well, that's true. So if we have to fight him, how do we defeat him?"

"Well, that's simple enough," Karla said. "Don't fight him."

"What?"

"My brother's always looking for a good fight," Karla explained. "He fights primarily for the fight itself. But there's no pleasure in fighting someone who won't fight back. Once the opponent makes an attack, there's no turning back."

"I see..." Adam stared off into the sky for another moment. There was something else weighing on his mind that he had heard about and spoken to Man-at-Arms about. But he had yet to ask Karla herself. "Karla...is it true that Orko told you my...secret?"

"Your secret?" Karla was puzzled at first, before it dawned on her. "Oh, that. Yes, it's true. But don't worry; your secret is safe with me."

"I just wish I could tell the others..." Adam mused. "Teela and my father think I'm some sort of coward, always disappearing when the battle starts."

"I wouldn't worry too much about that," Karla told him. "Let them think whatever they want. The important thing is that you know the truth, right?"

"Yeah, I guess..." Adam conceded. He had to admit that she had a good point there.

Karla smiled behind him, and then turned to her left, staring off into space and pondering. As she did so, she spotted a floating device hovering nearby.

"What is that?" she asked curiously.

"What?" Adam looked over at her, then following her eyesight, spotted the Doomseeker hovering in the air. "A Doomseeker!"

Immediately, he dashed towards it, attempting a leap to try and snatch it from the air, but the device quickly moved away before he could reach it. Once the Doomseeker was out of sight, Adam paused with an exasperated sigh.

Karla walked closer to him. "What's a 'Doomseeker?'"

"It's a device that Skeletor uses to spy on people," Adam said.

"That's...interesting..." Karla pondered, baffled by the technology.

"Yeah...that's one way to put it..." Adam said, his voice drenched in sarcasm. Obviously, his definition of the word "interesting" was very different.

"Prince Adam..." Man-At-Arms suddenly interrupted as he stepped out onto the balcony. He stopped upon seeing Karla standing next to the prince, however. But then he remembered what Adam had told him about Karla knowing the secret. "Ah...there's a mysterious swordsman who seeks a duel with He-Man. You must go and meet him."

"Right." Adam nodded.

Karla gasped softly. "It has to be my brother. Let me go with him!"

Man-At-Arms held his hand out towards her, stopping her. "Sorry, Karla. The swordsman has demanded to face He-Man alone."

"Oh..." Karla gave a disappointed sigh before glancing at Adam again. "Then be careful. And remember what I told you."

"Right." Adam gave her a thumbs up before heading off.

Man-At-Arms waited until Adam was out of sight before glancing at Karla again. "Karla...I understand that you learned Adam's secret?"

"Um, yes...and you know it as well?" Karla asked. "If you and Orko know it, just how 'secret' is it?"

"That's it," Man-At-Arms told her. "Orko and I are the only ones who know...aside from the Sorceress of Castle Greyskull who gave him his power. I just need to make sure you understand the importance of keeping that secret."

Karla nodded. "Yes, I understand."

"Good. I can assure you that He-Man will be able to bring your brother back."

"I hope so..."

Satisfied, Man-at-Arms turned and walked back into the palace. Not quite satisfied, Karla turned to look out from the edge of the balcony once again. Somewhere, in that massive kingdom, her brother would meet with He-Man. Would Karel listen to reason? Or would He-Man be forced to draw his weapon?

Karla let out a melancholy sigh as she continued to stare for a few more silent moments. And then the silence was broken.

"Karla!" Teela called as she joined the swordswoman on the balcony.

Karla glanced back, relieved that Teela was awake. "Teela. Are you well?"

"I'm fine," Teela said. "I barely felt anything when I was knocked unconscious."

"I'm sorry..." Karla apologized once again. "I really didn't mean to knock you unconscious. I'll have to be more careful. I'm just not good at holding back..."

"You shouldn't have to be," Teela assured her. "I don't hold back against Adam when we spar. He just needs to take his training more seriously."

Karla nodded. "Yes, he does..." she agreed.

As she turned once again to look out from the palace, Teela noticed that something was bothering her.

"What is it? Did something happen?"

Karla paused, pondering how to answer without revealing Adam's secret. She concluded that it was best not to mention Adam. "He-Man...went to face my brother in a duel."

"I see..." Teela said. "But you won't have to worry. He-Man is the most powerful man in the universe. He'll be able to defeat anyone."

"But...defeating him is not the goal," Karla pointed out sadly.

"Well, I guess that's true..." Teela said.

"I can only hope that He-Man will be able to bring him back here..."

"So you're just going to stand there and wait?"

"Yes...I will wait."

"Come on..." Teela gently took Karla by the wrist. "Let's keep ourselves occupied while we wait. There are still plenty of things to show you."

"Hmm?" Karla gave her a puzzled look. "Well, all right..."

Prince Adam had snuck off to a secluded spot to make his transformation into He-Man. The mighty warrior then mounted his trusty companion, Battle Cat, and raced across the land to meet his challenge. A challenge that would be fought not with swords, but with words.

After asking the people of a nearby village about this mysterious swordsman, He-Man found him in a vast, grassy field. Immediately, he could tell that this was the man he was looking for. The swordsman's resemblance to Karla was unmistakable. He stood calmly on the field, sword in hand. Battle Cat stopped about twenty feet away, and He-Man dismounted and stepped forward.

"You are He-Man?" Karel asked, his voice emotionless.

"Yes," He-Man responded. "And you are Karel?"

Karel raised an eye, surprised that the warrior knew his name. _He must have learned it from Karla_, he thought.

"Aye, that is my name," Karel responded. "The introduction is complete. Draw your blade."

At that moment, He-Man knew that what Karla had said was true. "No," he said flatly.

"Why?" Karel asked, just as coldly.

"Karla told me about you. She said that you are not evil. So why do you follow Skeletor?"

Karel pointed his sword at the mighty hero. "This has nothing to do with Skeletor. I would just as soon cross blades with him. My sword is my reason. I long for battle. I crave it."

"But what about Karla?"

Tired of the banter, Karel rushed at the warrior with a fast stroke. He-Man's power allowed him to react much more quickly, hopping back to avoid the attack.

"What about her?" Karel asked. "She is safe, correct? Then there's nothing to worry about."

"But she's worried about you!" He-Man pointed out.

"If you manage to survive this duel, tell her there's no need to worry for me." Karel rushed at him again with another fast sword stroke, but He-Man rolled to the side, gaining even more distance with a few handsprings. He straightened himself, facing Karel again.

"And if I don't survive? What will you do then?"

Karel faced the hero, holding his sword in a defensive stance. "Karla and I will meet again. I've no doubt of it."

He dashed at He-Man once again with yet another slash. He-Man leaped over him, landing gracefully a good distance away. Karel spun around to face him, growing more irritated with his evasion and his lack of counter attacks. No one had ever evaded Karel's attacks like this, so he knew He-Man had to be a formidable opponent. If only he would just fight back.

"Why do you not draw your blade!?" Karel growled.

"I'm not here to fight you, Karel," He-Man replied. "I've come on your sister's behalf. Come back with me, and join the Masters. Join your sister."

Karel paused, apparently considering the offer. He no longer looked tense or ready to attack again. He sighed, sheathing his sword.

"You disappoint me, He-Man," he said, turning his back. "If you will not fight me, then you waste my time. Leave."

He-Man let out a sigh of his own. He would not force Karel to come back with him, but he was disappointed that he would have to tell Karla about his refusal.

"As you wish," he said. "Come, Battle Cat."

The green tiger-like creature with yellow stripes moved to He-Man's side. He mounted on Battle Cat's saddle and rode off. Karel didn't even bother watching him leave, instead staring up into the sky.

"Karla..." he lamented.

Should he have gone back with He-Man? Should he bother going back to Snake Mountain? Where else could he go? How could he arrange to meet with Karla?

Having nowhere else to go, Karel began the journey back to Snake Mountain.


	4. Chapter 4

"Hey, Karla, have you ever used anything like this?"

Teela pulled a small disc from her belt and tossed it to the ground. The disc immediately expanded a few feet, hovering a foot or two from the ground. Teela hopped into the hovering board with her jousting stick in her hands.

Karla blinked in amazement. "No...I've never seen anything like that."

"Here, you should give it a try." Teela went to fetch a spare disc and threw it down in a similar manner in front of Karla.

Karla looked down at the disc. "And what is this...?"

"It's called a Wind Raider," Teela replied.

"So, you step on it like this...?" Karla carefully stepped onto the Wind Raider. However, the instant she had both feet on it, the Wind Raider began to wobble. Karla quickly lost her footing, falling off, though she managed to grab the edge of it. But then the Wind Raider itself fell, causing Karla to lose her grip and hit the ground. Fortunately, it was a short fall, so she was unharmed.

"Karla!" Teela jumped off her Wind Raider, running to the swordswoman's side.

"I'm fine..." Karla said, picking herself up. "Those things seem awfully dangerous..."

"They can be," Teela admitted. "It takes a lot of training to get used to them, and to joust with them."

Karla sighed, shaking her head. "I just don't understand all these machines."

"You mean you have nothing like these where you're from? How do you travel?"

"Most people use horses to get around. Some trained soldiers can get around on Pegasi and wyverns."

"That's interesting..." Teela reached out for Karla's arm again. "Come on, I have something else to show you. Something that should be easier to learn."

"All right..."

Karla followed Teela once again. Teela led her to a row of vehicles that had a seat and handles...already a better design than those Wind Raiders. Karla thought to herself that they were like horse machines with no legs. Teela instructed Karla to examine the controls carefully, and explained how to take off, control the vehicle, and land.

"Do you understand all that?" Teela asked when she was done with her explanation.

"Yes," Karla replied confidently.

"Would you like to take a little ride around the palace?"

"Sure."

"Great!" Teela mounted on the next vehicle over and revved up the engine. The vehicle began to rise into the air, where it hovered as Teela waited for Karla to start up her vehicle.

Karla mounted the machine Teela had showed her, following the instructions to start it up. She brought the vehicle up, soon hovering beside Teela.

"All right, let's go!" Teela called as she began to ride.

Karla blinked, then cranked one of the handles to begin moving the vehicle herself. Once she got going, following Teela as she circled around the palace, she found it rather relaxing. The vehicle moved smoothly through the air, without the bouncing of horses, or the flapping of wyvern or Pegasi wings. The wind embraced her, blowing her long black hair.

After a few laps around the palace, Teela landed her vehicle. Karla stopped in the air and tinkered with the controls, remembering the instructions on how to land.

"Well, what do you think?" Teela asked as Karla landed beside her.

"It's nice," Karla responded. "I like it."

At that moment, Adam entered the yard. Karla became eager the instant she saw him.

"Adam! Any luck?"

Given the fact that Karel wasn't with him, Karla already knew the answer.

Adam shook his head. "I'm sorry, Karla. I spoke with He-Man. He said that Karel refused to come back."

Karla sighed, disappointed. "I expected as much. Seeking out a battle is everything to him. He's become detached from his own family...from his own humanity. Even now, he seems more interested in my swordplay than in me."

"That's...awful," Teela remarked.

"I never knew that being a warrior could have such a dark side," Adam added.

He thought about all the warriors he knew and respected. Man-at-Arms, Teela, the other Masters, and He-Man, of course. Even his father, King Randor. They all fought for just causes. Karel was indeed something else. Neither good nor evil, but fighting just for the fight itself.

"Indeed it does..." Karla went on. "There's no guarantee that I won't end up like him. I hated the sword, but...I took up the art so I could understand it better...to understand him better. And now I believe I understand. There's a certain...thrill when fighting a formidable opponent. But recently, it's become more difficult to find such opponents. Still...I kept trying to reach out to my brother, to redeem him, so that he and I can be as we once were."

Adam wasn't sure what to say to all of that, but he still wanted to say something. "Well, maybe when he shows up again, you can try talking to him."

"I intend to." Karla let out a deep sigh. "But he could be anywhere. I just wish I didn't have to sit around and wait like this..."

* * *

"You sentimental fool!" Skeletor raged, yelling at Karel once he had returned. He had already known how the battle went via a Doomseeker. "You had the skill to destroy He-Man! Why didn't you strike!?"

Karel stood in front of the throne with his arms folded, not intimidated in the least. "There's no challenge in striking down one who will not fight. Hardly a meal worthy of my blade."

"Hmph!" Skeletor let out a loud, angry scoff. He was tempted to blast the Swordmaster with his Havoc Staff, but that would only prompt Karel to attack him again. However, one thing was certain; Karel had the same sentimental weakness as any other fool out there, and his cold attitude could not hide it. "Perhaps you need a little help...a little motivation. And who better to provide it than your precious _sister_!?"

"What?" Karel hissed in response, his face flickering at the mention of his sister.

Just the reaction Skeletor had wanted. "I could arrange to have your sister brought here for a...reunion of sorts," he continued. "Working together, I'm sure the two of you could defeat He-Man."

Karel gave him a hard glare. "Do you even know where to find her?"

"Oh, I believe I do." Skeletor played with his fingers. As if on cue, a Doomseeker projected a video recording onto the stone wall, showing Karla and Adam on the balcony. "She can be found in the Palace of Eternia. Beastman! Tri-Klops!"

Both of the evil warriors turned to face their master, Beastman letting out an eager growl.

"Yes, Skeletor?" Tri-Klops asked.

"Both of you, go forth to the palace, and bring me that boy's sister!"

"No!" Karel shouted, unfolding his arms, clenching his fists at the thought of these worthless scum laying their hands on his sister. "I will go. She will come willingly if I go alone."

Actually, he was somewhat certain that she wouldn't, but he hoped that the offer would appease Skeletor enough to call off his vermin.

Fortunately, it seemed to work.

"Very well..." Skeletor said. "Now go."

Karel scoffed under his breath as he left. He had to find Karla, to warn her. And perhaps he'd reconsider He-Man's previous offer. He wasn't a tool for Skeletor, or anyone to use.

Skeletor waited a few moments, making sure that the Swordmaster was truly gone before addressing his minions again.

"Follow him, but keep out of sight," he ordered. "If the girl doesn't cooperate, then you will bring her by force!"

Beastman and Tri-Klops left without a word.

* * *

The sun had set in Eternia, and everyone had turned in for the night, save for the nighttime patrol. Karla was attempting to sleep in one of the guest rooms, but she only found herself staring at the ceiling, unable to get Karel off her mind. Suddenly, she heard a tap at the window. She sprang up in the bed and glanced over, spotting a Doomseeker hovering on the balcony. Remembering what Adam had told her, she jumped out of bed, snatching her sword sheath and strapping it around her waist. She kicked the windows open, chasing the Doomseeker, unsheathing her sword and taking a fast stroke at it, but the device simply pulled back from her reach. After that, the Doomseeker moved away, around the palace walls and out of sight.

_What was that about?_ Karla wondered.

She was about to go back inside when something else caught her eye. She looked over the railing, spotting a familiar figure standing in the courtyard, looking up at her.

"By Father Sky..." she gasped. "Brother...?"

Karel looked up, his face expressionless. But deep down, Skeletor's threat was still troubling him. "Karla..." he muttered, not really aiming for her to hear him.

Karla felt her excitement building within. She needed to see him _now_. The safer route would be to go back inside and come out through the courtyard door, but she feared that Karel would be gone by the time she got there. So she decided to leap over the balcony railing inside, landing deftly on her feet.

"Brother!" she cried out as she raced over to him, embracing him with one arm, as she still held her sword at her side with her other hand. "I'm so glad to see you!"

Karel held up his hands, but refrained from returning the embrace. He needed to get straight to the heart of the matter. "Karla...we must speak."

Karla released him, stepping back. "What is it?"

"I need you to come with me."

"To where?"

"Snake Mountain."

"Snake Mountain?" The name tugged at Karla's memory, remembering that Orko had mentioned it to her when she had woken up. "Isn't that where Skeletor lives?"

Well, this was already not going as planned. "So...you know of Skeletor?" Karel asked.

"Yes...the Masters told me about him."

"I see. I won't lie to you, Karla. Skeletor's eyes are upon you."

"Me?" Karla asked warily. "Why?"

"He seeks He-Man's destruction. He saw my thirst for battle. And yet He-Man had refused to fight me."

"That's because I told him not to fight you. I knew it would be a fight to the death, and I didn't want either of you to die."

Karel paused, letting out an exasperated sigh. "You know me too well, Karla."

"I think I understand what's going on, given what I've heard about Skeletor," Karla continued. "He's manipulating you, isn't he? He just wants you to strike down He-Man so that he could conquer Eternia."

Karel fell silent again. He didn't want to admit it, but Karla had hit the nail on the head.

"Brother, you don't have to do this!" Karla pleaded. "The Masters said that they can send us home! You don't have to deal with Skeletor anymore! Just stay with me for the night, and then we could return to Elibe!"

"But I...I don't want to return."

"Why not?"

Another moment passed before Karel responded. "I have searched all over Elibe for strong opponents, but they seem to be getting more and more scarce. When we were first drawn to this world, in the middle of that battle, I felt the thrill that I hadn't felt in a long time. The thrill that I lived for. I was promised an even greater thrill by the rumor of He-Man's strength. That was why I followed Skeletor to Snake Mountain. But you followed the Masters?"

"Well, I didn't exactly follow them," Karla said. "I was knocked unconscious in that battle, and the Masters took me in. I woke up in the palace, and that was when they told me about Skeletor. I've been worried about you ever since."

Worried. It was true, Karla had always had her mind on him. And she was always on his mind as well. Even now he was worried for her...worried about what Skeletor had planned for her.

"Karla...perhaps it would be wise for you to return to Elibe," he said. "You'll be safe from Skeletor then."

"And let him continue to manipulate you?" Karla asked, somewhat forcefully. "I can't do that."

"But if you return, he can no longer use you to manipulate me."

Karla averted her gaze for a moment. "I don't want to leave without you."

Meanwhile, Beastman and Tri-Klops were hiding within the bushes, a decent distance away to avoid detection. Tri-Klops had his Doomseeker nearby to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"She's not cooperating," Tri-Klops said. "We've got to move now."

"Right..." Beastman growled.

Raising one arm, he summoned a large griffin to dive into the courtyard. Before either of the siblings could react, the griffin flew by, snatching Karla in its large talons. She let out a brief cry, dropping her sword as the griffin flew towards the bushes where Skeletor's minions were hiding. Beastman emerged and mounted the griffin, and then the flying beast flew away, carrying Karla away.

"Karla!" Karel yelled, watching helplessly as the beast took off with his sister. His eyes then fell upon her sword lying in the grass. Carefully, he picked it up, his hand wrapping tightly around the hilt.

A second griffin flew down, landing by the bush, and Tri-Klops mounted onto its back. He then glided over to where Karel stood.

"Are you coming or not?" Tri-Klops asked.

Karel glared at him with the most intense fire and the coldest ice. How dare they follow him. How dare they take his sister. What were they going to do to her? The easiest way to find out, and to make sure they didn't harm her, was to follow them back to Snake Mountain...and that meant accepting Tri-Klops' ride. It was all Karel could do to stop himself from striking Tri-Klops down right then and there...and with his sister's blade, no less.

And so, Karel mounted the beast behind Tri-Klops, and the beast took to the air.


End file.
